Swimming in February- Yes! If You Happen to be a Labrador!!
When Simon and I headed out to walk yesterday morning the temperature was clinging to the ten degree mark - one certainly does not think it a good day for swimming. Simon, on the other hand, thought it a marvelous day for a plunge into the refreshing waters of the stream we were passing. Thinking he was going down to have a sniff, I let him continue down the bank to the sides of the stream. On his return I noted a dampness about him, ah, yes my little fella had gone for the Labrador plunge, and then a zesty slither through the snow! What could be better if you happen to be a dog that was bred to plunge into the icy waters off Canada. It was a wonderful morning for a walk and today was as well. Keeping a brisk pace kept me warm and so I was delighted to watch Simon explore smells, hop about and practice our off-leash recalls. We also like to play hide-n-seek and he finds me every time! I actually must be quite sneaky if I am to successfully hide at all, which is great as it shows me that the time we have spent on developing focus is paying off. I love having a dog that, when walking off leash, likes to keep tabs on where I am and frequently checks in with me - critical skills to have if we are to one day compete in agility trials.
